Friday, October 09, 2009

Equality Matters – Tory attitudes to lgbt rights: Same old “Nasty Party”?

Cameron and his desperate allies for power within the current Conservative Party claim that they have changed and they are no longer the “Nasty Party” . They have become open and inclusive. I’m not too sure and perhaps the Tory Party attitude towards lgbt rights is I think a litmus test about the Tories and their attitude to equality issues as a whole.

Hat-tip thingy Leftfootforeward and Labourlists

Let’s look at the Tory Voting record on LGBT rights in the European Parliament. While the Conservative Party try to convince people that they are modern and compassionate, their elected representatives in the European Parliament consistently undermine the veneer to expose a homophobic and outdated disregard and disdain for the rights of homosexuals:

Tory MEPs voted with Jean-Marie Le Pen against the creation of the Fundamental Rights Agency, the European organisation that protects the rights of homosexuals from discrimination. (February 2008)

Cameron’s so-called ‘compassionate Conservative MEPs’ voted against a key report that would combat any form discrimination in the provision of goods and services, including on the grounds of sexual orientation. The report those MEPs rejected would ensure that the victims of discrimination were "automatically assisted in legal proceedings". (May 2008)

There was not a single Conservative MEP that voted for a European Parliament resolution calling for "worldwide decriminalisation of homosexuality" and an end to "discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in all sectors". (June 2007)

All Tory MEPs refused to support a resolution condemning homophobic and racist violence(June 2006)

They voted against including discrimination due to assumption or association in the horizontal equality directive (April 2009)

Most Tories abstained in the final vote on establishing a horizontal equality directive. Callanan, Hannan and Helmer voted against. The directive outlaws discrimination in providing equal treatment on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (April 2009)


The European Parliament voted to condemn a law in Lithuania, comparable to Section 28, and refer it for investigation by the European Fundamental Rights Agency. All of the Conservatives bar one abstained. Richard Ashworth, South East MEP, and the rest of the ECR group voted against. (September 2009)

Also, there's also Helmer's quote in the Real Tories, Real Words leaflet, " 'Homophobia' is merely a propaganda device designed to denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions" from his blog in July.

Tory MEPs including Tannock have repeatedly voted against an extension of gay rights including:

last month Tannock voted against a ‘motion of resolution’ condemning a law in Lithuania comparable to Section 28.

In April this year, Tannock
abstained in the final vote on establishing a horizontal equality directive. British MEPs, Martin Callanan, Daniel Hannan and Roger Helmer voted against the motion. The directive outlaws discrimination in providing equal treatment on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Tannock and Conservative MEP colleagues
voted against a key report that would combat any form of discrimination in the provision of goods and services, including on the grounds of sexual orientation. But in in June 2006, Tannock and other Tory MEPs refused to support a resolution condemning homophobic and racist violence.

Michael Cashman MEP speaking exclusively to Left Foot Forward said, “Equality measures have to be adopted by the Member States unanimously. On the basis of the Tory voting record here in the European Parliament, it is clear that a Tory Government would use its veto and prevent Equality legislation ever seeing the bright light of day.”

To me one of the major Labour Government triumphs in recent years is that Labour has genuinely become the Party of Equality. Lots of more work needs to be done but we are on our way I think. This is not only a clear achievement now at risk but also crystal clear red water between us and the Tories.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Andrew Boff leading right wing tory gay and GLA member was at this event condeming the opposition

strange when he wasmy local councillor in Hillingdon he voted against the repeal of Clause 28
didnt even go sick

never apologised